KIDNAPPED COWBOY

by Lindsey Brookes

  “I got him,” Dalton called out as he lunged across her after the escaping pig.

  The roar of the young spectators turned into all out laughter as Squealer took off, shooting flecks of mud onto his fallen pursuers.

  Caitlin pushed at Dalton who was lying crossways over her now, doing his best to keep himself from crushing her. “Some cowboy you are. You let it get away.”

  “Me?” He glanced back at her over his shoulder. “If you—”

  “So, this is how you run things around here?”

  This was the first Caitlin realized the teens were no longer creating their usual ruckus. The unexpected sound of Brandon Barne’s voice had her shooting upright, or as far upright as she could get with Dalton still draped across her lap.

  “Brandon.”

  The ‘Ogre of Lone Tree’ slipped between the fence rungs and strode toward them, his expression clearly befitting the man who had been given that nickname.

  Whispers of “It’s him” and “It’s the Ogre” drifted through the crowd, followed by a few soft, feminine gasps.

  Brandon ignored the teens’ comments, focusing on Dalton and her instead. “Miss Myers,” he replied stiffly, not even the slightest hint of humor in his tone.

  “Your timing stinks,” Dalton told his brother as he rolled off Caitlin and onto his wet backside.

  His brother arched a brow as his gaze followed the fleeing pig. “Obviously.”

  Dalton stood and extended a muddied hand to Caitlin, helping her to her feet. “We nearly had it.”

  “I assume the ‘it’ you are referring to is that pig over there.” He thumbed in the animal’s direction.

  Dalton nodded.

  His brother’s scowl deepened. “The question is why?”

  Caitlin stepped up alongside Dalton, brushing bits of grass and clumps of mud from her clothes. “I can explain.”

  “Please do,” his brother said.

  “We were having a competition.”

  Brandon’s dark brow shifted upward. “A competition?”

  “Yes. Dalton came up with the idea, but I have to say it’s been a wonderfully therapeutic way to get these kids to refocus. It’s actually helped guide the teens in a more positive direction.”

  “You consider chasing a greased pig around positive direction?”

  “Damn straight,” Dalton cut in.

  “Dalton,” Caitlin said in an attempt to hush him.

  He calmed himself down, no doubt aware that the teens were hanging on to their every word. He met his brother’s narrowed gaze head on. “I think we should take this to Caitlin’s office.”

  Brandon shook his head, but he refrained from saying anything more until they reached the retreat’s office and closed the door behind them.

  “Look,” Dalton began, determined to explain the concept of having fun to a brother who had never learned how to do so.

  “I thought when you left the circuit that you left this sort of behavior behind,” his brother said, cutting off his explanation.

  “There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun,” he told Brandon.

  “What the hell do you think would have happened if the health department pulled a surprise inspection of the camp today?”

  “They were rolling in mud, not sewage,” Caitlin interjected on Dalton’s behalf. “It washes off.”

  “What if one of the teens fell and broke an arm or worse?” Brandon demanded. “I gave up a very lucrative financial deal, Miss Myers, to let this camp reopen this summer. And for what? To have kids in need of counseling and structure come here and run around unbridled, playing senseless games like I just witnessed out there.”

  Caitlin felt a rush of tears at the harshness of his criticism. Brandon was right. She had a responsibility to the retreat, and part of that responsibility was not to put its reputation or future at risk. Something she had done in not looking into the possible ramifications of holding such a competition.

  “Back off,” Dalton warned, the tension thick in the air.

  “Dalton, please,” she said, not wanting things to get any worse than they already were.

  Dalton was past the point of reining himself in. Just when he’d thought his relationship with his brother was headed in the right direction, Brandon had to go and revert back to his old rigid way of looking at things.

  “You can go at me all you want,” he told Brandon. “But you’d better back off where Caitlin’s concerned. She’s a damn good director. Not that you would know, seeing as how you rarely make an appearance here.”

  Brandon stiffened at the well-aimed accusation.

  “And you’ll never find anyone as dedicated to their job as she is,” Dalton continued. “So if you have a problem with anyone, it’s me. I brought the pig here. And final say so on what’s done here is up to me. Or have you forgotten that?”

  “Dalton,” she pleaded.

  He held up a hand. “I can handle this.” He sounded calm. Too calm. “Why don’t you go check on the kids?”

  “But—”

  “No buts, Caitlin.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. My brother and I haven’t killed each other yet.”

  And that was supposed to make her feel better? Her gaze darted nervously between the two men. The expression on Brandon’s face had her hesitating, feeling the need to remain by Dalton’s side. But Dalton was right. This wasn’t just about the retreat. It went deeper than that. It was something the two of them had to work out for themselves once and for all.

  “Yet being the key word,” Brandon reiterated in a low grumble.

  Her eyes widened. She definitely wasn’t leaving the two of them alone now. Stepping in front of Dalton, she hoisted her chin. “If you even think about laying one hand on—”

  “Caitlin,” Dalton said, clasping his hands over her shoulders, “he’s kidding. He’s not real good at it, but you have to give him credit for trying.”

  There wasn’t even a hint of humor in Brandon’s eyes that she could see, but she had to trust that Dalton knew what he was talking about. “I’ll be outside if you need me.”

  He smiled. “I think I can handle it.”

  She started for the door, and then stopped, looking from one brother to the other. “Just remember, you’ll always be brothers.” That said she walked out, closing the door behind her.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  The moment Caitlin walked out, Brandon swung around to face his brother. “I know you have a thing for her, so I’m not gonna count on you for objectivity.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “I’m serious, Dalton. A place like this needs someone a little more experienced to run it.”

  “You aren’t gonna find anyone with more experience,” he argued. “Caitlin has been where they are.”

  “Maybe so, but those kids need more structure in their life, not fun and games.”

  Dalton felt that familiar tick return to his jaw as he stood listening to his brother’s perception on how Stoney Brook should be run.

  “I’ve seen how Caitlin interacts with the kids here and how far they’ve come since arriving here. She’s done a damn fine job with them. Again, I repeat, not that you’ve been around to see any of it,” he added with a scowl.

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “Sitting behind that big old desk of yours and debating on which stocks to trade off, what investments to buy into.”

  “It’s business.”

  “It’s always business. When’s the last time you really enjoyed life?”

  His brother said nothing.

  “That’s what I thought.” Dalton shook his head. “You know, Brandon, I feel sorry for you.”

  “For me? Why the hell would you feel sorry for me?”

  “Because you’ve put all that time and effort into building up the family business. And at what sacrifice? You have no social life that I’m aware of.”

  “I like my life the way it is.”

  “Do you really? Or is that part of the front you put
up?” He shook his head. “Don’t you want a family?”

  “I have family – you.”

  “I’m talking children.”

  With an unexpected chuckle, Brandon removed his hat and raked a sleeve across his brow. “Children?”

  “I’ve been surrounded by them all summer and find I kinda like having them around.”

  His brother leaned against the desk and folded his arms. “You know, Dalton, I never thought I’d see the day when a woman roped you. And Miss Myers appears to have roped you real good.”

  Handcuffed would be more like it.

  “Right along with those kids out there,” his brother added, shaking his head in amusement.

  Dalton couldn’t help but grin. “I’m a lucky man and I’ll be even luckier once I convince Caitlin to marry me.”

  “Marry?” his brother choked in surprise. “I knew you had a thing for her, but marriage?”

  “If I have my way,” Dalton told him, his grin widening. “And I can be one stubborn man.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Brandon said with a chuckle.

  “So what brings you out to the retreat?”

  “I wanted to let you know that Alan Martinson is no longer in my employ.”

  “You’re better off without that snake in the grass.”

  His brother nodded. “Getting back to Miss Myers-”

  “Caitlin,” Dalton corrected. “Miss Myers sounds too damn formal for a woman you’ll soon be calling sister.”

  “So Caitlin has no idea what your intentions are?”

  “Not the marriage part. And I’d appreciate it if you kept this under your hat for the time being.”

  “I can do that. Do you mind if I ask what you’re waiting for?”

  Other than not knowing he was going to ask her to marry him until he’d blurted out the words moments before?

  “I can’t ask Caitlin to be a part of my life until I’m my own man.”

  “Your own man?”

  “I went from our father forcing me into a life I didn’t want to your trying to do the same thing after he died.”

  Brandon sighed heavily. “I never meant to drive you away. I guess I felt like I had to take over for him after he was gone. Hell, Dalton, you were only seventeen at the time.”

  “And you were only twenty-two. But you were born to run the family business. You had a passion for it. I didn’t. That’s why I left. To chase after my own dreams.”

  “I didn’t understand it at the time, but you did what you had to do. Takes a real man to know where he wants to be in life.”

  “I wanna be here,” Dalton told him. “With Caitlin. That’s why I wanna buy Stoney Brook from you.”

  “You what?”

  “She loves this place. And it’s come to mean a lot to me, too.” The cabins, the land, and especially the troubled teens that came there. Granted, those rebellious kids had done their best to send him running for the hills. But they had met their match when it came to stubbornness. And, like Caitlin, he wanted to be a part of helping them turn their lives around. Hell, just watching the teens evolve from angry and bitter kids to happy-go-lucky with the ability to trust gave him more satisfaction than all his years of riding ever had. He now understood why Caitlin had invested so much of her life into Stoney Brook and why she’d gone to such lengths to save it.

  “Stoney Brook is as much yours as it is mine,” his brother replied, drawing Dalton from his thoughts.

  “I’m not making myself clear,” he said. “I want Stoney Brook to be mine alone. A place for me to put down roots of my own and build a life with Caitlin.”

  “You’ve never taken any part of what our father left you. If you want Stoney Brook, then take it,” Brandon offered. “I’ll sign my half over to you.”

  Dalton shook his head. “It would never really be ‘mine’ that way. I wanna buy you out. Most of my money is tied up right now in investments, but I have some money owed to me I can collect on. Should give me enough to give you a down payment towards buying you out and leave enough to buy Caitlin a nice ring with.”

  “Works for me.” He held out his hand. “Welcome home, Dalton.”

  Dalton took his brother’s hand, gripping it firmly. “Glad to be back.” He had just taken his first step toward putting down roots. A pretty big one for a man who never imagined settling anywhere for any real length of time. And he sure as hell never imagined it would be in the town he’d been in such an all-fire hurry to get away from all those years ago.

  “This is a pretty big step for you,” his brother said. “Glad you’re finally taking it.”

  He was going to take an even bigger step when he asked Caitlin to marry him. But before he could do that, he needed to go collect on those loans he’d made while riding the circuit. If everything went the way he hoped, he’d be back before the retreat’s summer session ended. He wanted the kids to be there when he asked Caitlin to marry him.

  Dalton had to clear the emotion from his throat before speaking again. “I’ll never forget what you gave up to give me this opportunity.”

  “You’re the one giving up his freedom, not me,” his brother said with a grin.

  “I’m referring to the money you could have made by turning this place into a resort like you’d planned to do.”

  “Hell, it’s not like I don’t have enough irons in the fire as it is.”

  “Too many to keep an eye on Caitlin for me while I’m gone?”

  Brandon hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m not real good in the caring for females department.”

  “I’m not asking you to move out here. Just call her once in a while and make sure there’s nothing she needs.”

  “I can do that,” his brother said reluctantly. “But you’d best get your ass back here as soon as you can. I’ve had my fill of dealing with feminine temperaments and something tells me Caitlin’s not gonna be very happy about your leaving.”

  “Believe me I don’t plan to be gone any longer than I have to be.” He walked his brother to the door and followed him outside. “Thanks for everything.”

  “Just be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, no matter how piss poor I was at showing it.”

  This was the closest he’d felt to his brother in more years than he cared to count back. “I am happy. Damn happy. Speaking of which, I’d best go find Caitlin.”

  With a nod, Brandon headed off in long strides towards the truck he’d left parked down by the road.

  Dalton stood watching him go, his smile widening. A whole new future stretched out ahead of him. Life was good.

  *

  Caitlin jumped with a start as her cabin door swung open behind her. With a gasp, she clutched at the front of her robe and turned from the mirror, hair dryer still running.

  “Dalton,” she said with a sigh of relief, “you startled me.”

  “I knocked.” His gaze traveled slowly downward, perusing her half-dressed form.

  The heated look in his eyes when his gaze lifted sent warmth rushing to the apex of her thighs. Shutting the hair dryer off, she pulled its plug from the wall and then turned back to Dalton. It was obvious he’d come straight from his confrontation with Brandon. His dark hair still hung in wet strands over his thick brows and specks of mud from their pig-chasing fiasco still clung to his cheeks and chin.

  “You and Brandon were in there quite a while.”

  He nodded. “We had some talking to do.”

  “When I didn’t hear any furniture crashing into the walls, I figured it was safe to come back here and get washed up.” She looked him over with a worried frown. “Is everything okay?”

  “We both emerged with all limbs intact. No blood shed.”

  Her frown eased. “Thank goodness for that.” She’d been sick to her stomach with worry since leaving the two of them alone in her office. Especially when they were both in such stormy moods. She stepped into his arms.

  “I’m gonna to get you muddy again.”

  “I don’t care,” she r
eplied, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Is your brother still upset about the pig?”

  He slid his hands up and down her arms in a light caress. “No, darlin’. Brandon’s bark tends to be a lot worse than his bite.”

  She wasn’t so sure other people would agree with Dalton’s assessment of his brother. Her experience with Brandon was limited, but her description of the man would be gruff and demanding, and incredibly intimidating.

  “I hope so, because I wanna have a word with him before he leaves.”

  “Too late. He just drove off.”

  She groaned. “I wanted to talk to him about his plans for the retreat. Considering what happened today and all.”

  “Nothing happened today that shouldn’t have,” he assured her. “Brandon overreacted and admitted as much before he left. And you can stop spending all your time worrying about the retreat. It’s not going anywhere.”

  “Thank goodness,” she said with a soft sigh. “But Brandon─”

  “Forget about my brother,” he said. “You and I need to talk. About us.”

  It felt like butterflies had swarmed her stomach. Us. He wanted to talk about them. Was he breaking things off? Or did he want to talk about continuing to see her once the retreat closed and she returned to her place above the diner. And, if that was it, could she really go through with it? Risk falling even deeper in love with him only to have her heart broken when he set off on his next adventure?

  He ran his hand along her cheek, his eyes searching hers. “This is the most important decision I’ve ever made in my whole life and it affects you.”

  Her heart pounded hard against her breasts. Whatever it was, she could handle it. “How?” was all she could manage, and even that came out shakily.

  “I know there’s not much time left before the kids go home, but you’re gonna have to handle things here on your own for a little bit.”

  He was leaving? Now? “I don’t understand.”

  “I know it’s not much notice, but I have to leave town to see to some business matters.”

  “You’re leaving Lone Tree?” Her words were barely a whisper.

  “Not for long.”

  “What about the kids?” And me. It felt like her heart had just been trampled on by one of those bulls Dalton used to ride. How could she have been so wrong about his intentions? So foolish.